“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller

It was the first time that Pandoo Foundation organized a volleyball league. All of us were excited as to what the outcome might be. Luckily, we were able to make four teams, namely: Team Abellana A, Team Abellana B, Team Banana Republic, and Team Barrio Luz.

The powerful statement above brings us to the word "TEAMWORK". This word enabled the Pandoo coaches to think of outside-the-box suggestions, strategies, and ways to bring the players closer to one another. We tried to dig deep into our experience as coaches and as players to find helpful things that we could use to attain our mission. We knew that if we could get our act together we could make the first Pandoo Team Building in 2016 memorable.

The coaches decided on two activities to test the players’ abilities to communicate and to collaborate with one another. These are the two important keys in building a strong foundation and understanding as a team. The activities were: “Pandoo Rescue Camp Game” and the “Pipeline”. As I looked into the players’ eyes, I concluded that all of them were as excited as I was for what activities were in store for them that day.

The teams were at first confused about what to do in the Pandoo Rescue Camp Game, but then later on, they figured it all out. All of the teams really did a great job in fulfilling the task (to deliver water to a village destroyed by a volcanic eruption) in all the ways that they knew. I could see the delight on their faces when they were able to understand the true meaning of building strong communication in the team.

There's this saying, “Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we.” This quote doesn't only apply to the teams but also to the coaches who will be helping one another, hand in hand, to help their players reach their dreams. I am so blessed to have witnessed this kind of activity and to be the coach of one of the teams. I may not know what lies ahead, but one thing is for sure now: we are not only building the team but also the players’ dreams.